Telegram-herald., 1887-11-06
An INDIAN FEAST
Ths eREEN ooRN STAMP DANCE
>sseGss al tee AGtuaan fssltsiftss 81 tns
tfses AnsssAs NSEs rtSroaEn q Gis~s-
aag fEscSss a tsEsssk&2i frssst-
nc&o SSerea FsFs-
Aiess4l@lsts.

fAn festival = rslg soas lie AID Is Tar
fro1a tslDs wAst = gsaelsls s0pEesed al
ofaitSry dNaos q sE.l4ly eS.lIinles fet feur
cave &aa IAs ers4ta oE wnlca u ss neld =
ceusecf&is1 u t1s serslcs l0s ssic1 * l. use.i
by beng ois~Fvc - al os.sIlueiloas .ad l&ld
81 ails elAeFsat rags ga plaee ~ fer tie
d2IaeeS A ESSs is planted AZ l.z center II
one u ttess l4ngs sn1 Ire Il kyaolsd near
TIE pest. and around tbs plst and ne the
colDp@nys composed ~ men. ~egassn saa
eAl1ren, dSass u the noassc II pe,-Uliar
KIND ~ drum. Wlich l. nlI0nled 10 tAe
singing aid shouting Of lhe o2nosss
TIE nrss day = eccupied ia fe.seing assd
tie night is taken up xlta dance TIE
second day i ussd as a fast. Ia which thes
take no food and the uight L. spent without
sleep. the dance continuing al nlgbt Ga
tie third oey. about noon theY pAftale II
What - Known a. tie bitter me1lc.ne CON
posed of sone Mid herb known onlv 10
certSia member ~ the trihe. vino attends a.
tie preparation with religious zeal and grost
soiemnify The eIfeet ~ tbis bitter nealclns
i very powerful ia the way q stirring un
The inward organization 81 tie person
taking Il, producing violent vomiting
and j. intended a. a cleansing power Ia
case the medicine does not act sufficiently
long feather. usually from tire wing II an
eagle Or other large 5ird having feathers "
proper length h taken, and tie feather edge
trimmed OF, except "A small bunch Of tie
point. Tins the person that hss not been suf-
lcientiy cleansed inserts into bis mouth aud
down into the stomach. giving II a peculiar
tickling twist. and 10y repeating tAis opsfa-
tion and laying himself over log face down
ward, be finally Is relieves Of the c0ntenta u
the stomach, and arising he pronoHnces him
self internally cleansed. After thoroughly
satisfying themselves that thsre Is nothing
left In them, the whole number Of those who
have taken the cleansing process repair 20 the
river. where they all stand in the water, and
at given signal from the leader they dive
under four times and thus they claim the
outside il cleansei also
Then they dry themselves in the sun. and
each one securing All arm load Of wood. re-
turns 10 tbe dancing ground. and rebuilding
the fire with the wood they have brought.
ana sweeping the ground perfectly clean,
they renew the dance until the fourth day,
when they break up and return 10 their
homes
These grounds are selected and established
with great care by the elder members of the
tribe, Que Of whom is leader and one who
holds his Office during life. and at his death
the Office dsscends TO some other one. also "A
member OF the same family, thus initiating
the perpstual priesthood of the Jewish peopie.
The grounds Of this place were established
about forty years ago ana toe ashes which
make the place sacred were brought from "A
similar dancing ground IN the st.fe Il Ala
bann at the time. and art buried here. where
new tire Is built every wear. and t0e fire is
carried 10 their homes and kept burning all
the entire year Thus the same fire that
burns upon the main altar is to be kept burn
ing IN the home OF each individual, and Is n
tended TO remind them constantly of tho
sacred obligation that they are under in tins
respect
During these festivities the most rerfect
order prevails in camp and anything Of "a
contrary nature IS promptly checked and tie
offenders reminded tas; the ground whereon
they stand is holy ground.
The dance IS very peculiar. and in many
respects IS less Objectionable in is features
than our more modern dances Each in6-
vidual operates independent of any one else
There IS no choosing partners and no firia-
ton between the sexes, and anything Of rs,
kind would be considered gross insult and
would meet with strong resentment, II ~:
very plvst1i't fsit--tisiigiit, 40 ffrstHlHe~ 81
many, especially fbe women, are vesy gassd,.
and are composei largely OF fancy RIBBONS
and feathers One was -ery conspicuous r.
IN this respect, having beautiful bead .ress
Of ribbons reaching from head to foot aud
tie coloIS OF the rainbow
These people are not hrslalian. as might
lie supposed. but they wear the CIVILIZED dress.
anu only add these fancy ornaments as others
themseivss
The Greeks extend friendly invitation 10 /
the other trlCes = join them in this f,sii-
val, and many o. their neighboTs avail them I
selves ~ The hospitality thus offered
The Shawnee living within reach always
attend, and Il is thought that they excel IA 4
the matter - dauclug many of the wornen 1
being peculiarly graceful in their movements.
Kansas City Times